No Man’s Sky and the Rise of Player-Made Underwater Cities

No Man’s Sky has come a long way from its rocky launch to become one of the most dramatic redemption stories in modern gaming. Among its many surprises, one of the most striking is the emergence of vast, neon-soaked underwater cities built entirely by players. Some of these creations instantly call to mind BioShock’s iconic Rapture, turning an already strange universe into something that looks like a completely different game.

This article dives into how No Man’s Sky evolved into a playground for underwater architects, what makes these submerged settlements so compelling, and why they capture the imagination of fans of both space exploration and dystopian sci‑fi like BioShock.

From Controversial Launch to Creative Sandbox

When No Man’s Sky released in 2016, it was criticized for missing several promised features and feeling empty despite its enormous scale. Over time, however, Hello Games steadily delivered free updates that reshaped the experience—multiplayer, base building, story content, expanded biomes, and more.¹ That ongoing support has turned the game into a living platform where creativity and exploration sit at the center.

Underwater cities are a natural extension of that transformation. What began as a procedural universe of mostly barren planets has grown into a space where players can:

• Claim planets and build bases in almost any location.
• Experiment with structural pieces, lights, and decorations to form complex architecture.
• Use creative mode or resource-rich saves to push the limits of the building system.
• Invite others to visit their creations through multiplayer and community hubs.

Among the many types of builds—orbital platforms, megacities, temples, industrial complexes—underwater civilizations stand out as especially striking because they blend sci‑fi style with the eerie calm of the ocean floor.

Why Underwater Cities Fascinate Players

Submerged cities occupy a unique place in science fiction. They combine utopian dreams of technological mastery with claustrophobic tension: the idea that just a few centimeters of glass stand between life and a crushing flood of seawater. BioShock’s Rapture made this concept famous in gaming, portraying a failed libertarian paradise decaying under the ocean.

In No Man’s Sky, underwater builders tap into similar themes, but with their own twist:

• Isolation with a view: Panoramic glass corridors let players look out over alien reefs, strange sea creatures, and bioluminescent plants.
• Atmosphere over combat: Instead of constant action, the focus is on mood—light, color, and architecture working together to create an unforgettable vibe.
• Control over chaos: While the game’s oceans can be hostile, building a self-contained city gives a sense of mastery over an otherwise dangerous environment.

The result is a type of player-made content that feels almost like a custom expansion: entirely optional, but transformative for anyone who visits.

How No Man’s Sky Enables Submerged Megastructures

Underwater construction in No Man’s Sky is possible thanks to a combination of mechanics introduced and refined across several updates. The Next update in 2018, for example, reinvigorated base building and added true underwater structures, opening the door to more ambitious submerged projects.¹

Key Building Tools for Underwater Cities

Players typically rely on a mix of structural and decorative pieces to create their cities. Common components include:

• Glass corridors and viewing rooms for sweeping views of the seabed.
• Stackable prefabs like cylindrical rooms, cuboid rooms, and industrial sections for modular layout.
• Lighting elements (neon strips, floodlights, spotlights) to cut through the gloom of deep water.
• Power systems such as solar panels, electromagnetic generators, or biofuel reactors.
• Teleporters and landing pads to make the city easy to reach and navigate.

The Role of Creative Mode and Community Knowledge

While it is technically possible to build an underwater city in a survival save, most of the truly colossal projects rely on creative mode or resource-rich saves to avoid grind. Builders also share techniques through community channels, helping each other push the game’s systems to new limits.

Some advanced methods include:

• Glitch building: Using placement tricks to merge or offset pieces in ways not originally intended.
• Terrain manipulation: Carving out caves or leveling the seabed to provide a stable foundation.
• Performance balancing: Reducing dense décor in certain areas to keep frame rates stable for visitors.

Rapture’s Shadow: BioShock’s Influence on These Builds

Whenever a particularly ambitious underwater build surfaces in No Man’s Sky communities, comparisons to BioShock’s Rapture usually follow. Rapture is one of gaming’s most iconic locations—a fully realized underwater city-state defined by Art Deco architecture, propaganda posters, and a narrative of societal collapse.²

Visual and Thematic Echoes

Although No Man’s Sky and BioShock are very different games, underwater builders often echo the mood of Rapture through:

• Long, glass walkways where sea life drifts past, recalling the famous corridors of Rapture.
• Grand entrance halls with sweeping views and strong symmetry.
• Moody lighting schemes using blues, greens, and golds to convey opulence and decay.
• Separated districts (industry, luxury, research) suggesting a functioning society.

Of course, No Man’s Sky’s bright, alien color palette and procedural fauna give these cities a very different flavor. Rather than decaying 1950s Americana, players get luminous coral forests, colossal alien fish, and starships parked above the waves.

Imagining the Science Behind the Fantasy

In reality, building an underwater city like Rapture would be astronomically difficult. Engineers would need to address pressure, corrosion, energy supply, and emergency evacuation—all at prohibitive cost.

Real-world research into undersea habitats and deep-sea structures highlights some of those challenges:

• Deep ocean pressures rise by roughly one atmosphere every 10 meters of depth, demanding extremely strong hulls and meticulous engineering to avoid catastrophic failure.³
• Saltwater corrosion attacks metals, making long-term maintenance a constant concern.⁴
• Large-scale underwater construction is so expensive and complex that existing projects are generally limited to research stations, subsea tunnels, and energy infrastructure.⁵

No Man’s Sky sidesteps most of these issues with sci‑fi materials and shields, allowing players to focus on aesthetics rather than engineering constraints. Yet the fantasy feels grounded enough that, for a moment, it is easy to imagine living in these cities.

Designing an Underwater City: Practical Tips for Builders

For players inspired by screenshots and videos of submerged metropolises, starting a first underwater project can be intimidating. The key is to think in layers, much like a real urban planner, while keeping performance and navigation in mind.

1. Choose the Right Planet and Biome

Not all oceans in No Man’s Sky are created equal. Ideal locations often have:

• Clear or colorful water for better visibility.
• Rich seafloor life—coral, plants, and creatures that enhance atmosphere.
• Moderate depth so that ambient light and surface access remain viable.
• Stable weather to make surface operations (like solar power collection) easier.

2. Plan a Coherent Layout

Before placing pieces, sketch or mentally map out a few core districts:

• A central arrival hub linked to a teleporter and landing pad.
• Residential, industrial, and research or leisure sections.
• Vertical transit routes using ladders, ramps, or stacked corridors.

Organized layouts make cities feel believable and help visitors navigate without getting lost in a maze of identical tunnels.

3. Use Light and Color to Shape Mood

Lighting is arguably the most important design element in underwater builds. Consider these approaches:

• Warm lighting (yellows and oranges) for cozy, inhabited spaces.
• Cold lighting (blues and greens) for laboratories or eerie corridors.
• Accent colors (red, purple, cyan) to guide players or highlight landmarks.
• Hidden lights tucked behind structures to avoid harsh glare.

4. Balance Detail with Performance

Decorative clutter—furniture, props, small lights—adds personality but can quickly impact performance, especially on older hardware. Many builders:

• Reserve high-detail decoration for a few key rooms.
• Keep corridors simpler to reduce the total object count.
• Test the build on different platforms when possible to ensure visitors can enjoy it.

5. Add Story Hooks and Environmental Narrative

What makes BioShock’s Rapture memorable is not just its visual style, but the story embedded in every hallway. No Man’s Sky builders can echo that by:

• Leaving terminal logs and message modules that hint at the city’s history.
• Creating themed zones (luxury suites vs. cramped worker barracks).
• Using damaged or half-flooded sections to suggest past disasters.

Even a simple narrative—such as a failed research colony or a runaway AI habitat—can turn a beautiful build into an immersive destination.

Community, Discovery, and the Feeling of a “New Game”

One of the most striking reactions from players visiting grand underwater cities is the sense that they are suddenly playing a different game. For veterans who remember the sparse early days of No Man’s Sky, walking through an intricate, player-made metropolis under the sea can feel like stepping into a completely new release.

Shared Universes and Player Tourism

Modern game design increasingly encourages player creativity and sharing. The idea of users generating content that others explore is a core part of many platforms, from sandbox games to virtual worlds.⁶ No Man’s Sky fits neatly into this trend by letting players:

• Publish base coordinates or portal addresses.
• Organize community events where groups tour notable builds.
• Use social media and video platforms to showcase and archive their work.

Underwater cities become tourist attractions in this shared universe, giving explorers new reasons to revisit the game long after they have seen most of its procedural content.

Why These Builds Matter for No Man’s Sky’s Legacy

No Man’s Sky’s long-term reputation hinges on more than patch notes. What truly reshapes its identity is what players do with the tools provided. Underwater cities exemplify this dynamic: they would not exist without the game’s systems, yet they feel very much like community-owned creations.

For many players, visiting an elaborate submerged metropolis is a moment that crystallizes just how far the game has come. It is hard to reconcile such a carefully crafted, atmospheric space with memories of the barebones release version. That emotional contrast helps explain comments like “I’m not even sure this is the same game anymore” that often accompany screenshots and videos of these builds.

FAQ: No Man’s Sky Underwater Cities

Can I build underwater bases in No Man’s Sky on any planet?

You can construct underwater bases on planets that have oceans or large bodies of water. Not every planet has significant seas, so you may need to scan multiple worlds to find a suitable location with enough depth and interesting seafloor terrain.

Do underwater cities affect performance more than surface bases?

Performance depends more on the total number of pieces, lights, and interactive objects than on being underwater. However, dense lighting and complex glass structures can be demanding, so very large submerged cities may cause frame rate drops on some systems.

Is creative mode required to build a big underwater city?

Creative mode is not strictly required, but it removes resource costs and survival concerns, making it significantly easier to undertake large projects. In survival or normal modes, you will need robust resource gathering and potentially automated mining operations to support megastructures.

How do I share my underwater city with other players?

You can share portal coordinates, base computer coordinates, or simply invite friends via multiplayer. Many builders also post screenshots, videos, and directions on community hubs and social platforms to help others visit their worlds.

Can underwater cities be damaged or flooded?

No Man’s Sky does not simulate structural damage and flooding in the way a game like BioShock might. Once built, your underwater city is safe from pressure and leaks. Hazards typically come from environmental effects and hostile fauna outside, rather than catastrophic failure of the base itself.